Pelargonium plant named &#39;PEQZ0009&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Pelargonium  plant named ‘PEQZ0009’ particularly distinguished by intense pink double flower inflorescences held above the green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the medium extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a vigorous plant.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Pelargonium interspecific

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘PEQZ0009’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known asPelargonium interspecific and hereinafter referred to by the varietyname ‘PEQZ0009’.

‘PEQZ0009’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘PEQZ0009’ has intense pink double flower inflorescences held above thegreen foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous colorthrough the medium extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema toleranceon a vigorous plant.

‘PEQZ0009’originates from a hybridization in a controlled breedingprogram made in February 2008 in a greenhouse in Guatemala. The femaleparent was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecificparentage, identified as ‘10518-4’ a hot pink single flowered selectionwith a more trailing plant habit when compared to ‘PEQZ0009’.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0009’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P.interspecific parentage identified as ‘10622-1’ with more blue-rosecolor florets and a more open plant habit when compared to ‘PEQZ0009’.The resultant seed was sown in February 2009.

‘PEQZ0009’was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in May 2009 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0009’was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June2009 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in Jun. 2, 2016 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter,has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as hereindisclosed for ‘PEQZ0009’are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0009’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in theEuropean Union on Jun. 10, 2015, No. 2015/1215. ‘PEQZ0009’ has not beenmade publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of thisapplication.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination ofthese characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new anddistinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘PEQZ0009’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1,3 flowering plants of the new variety and in FIG. 2, a close-up of aninflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Gilroy, Calif. inJun. 2, 2016 under natural light. These plants were approximately 18weeks old and were grown in a 4.5 inch pot, in a greenhouse trial.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            rounded growth habit, heat and drought tolerant with            continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, edema            tolerance, well-branched plant habit.        -   Plant height.—7.5-8.5 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—23.5-25.5 cm        -   Plant width.—23-24 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22            degrees C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22            degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS 137A.-   Foliage:    -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137B with a slightly            lighter mottling.        -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—RHS 137C.        -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137B with slightly            lighter mottling.        -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137C.        -   Length.—4.3-4.6 cm.        -   Width.—7.5-7.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Cordate.        -   Base shape.—Cordate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.        -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.        -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.        -   Leaf zonation color.—None.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137B becoming indistinct.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 137C becoming indistinct.        -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 137C.        -   Petiole length.—6-9.0 cm.        -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of branches.—6-7.        -   Color of stem.—RHS 137C.        -   Length of stem.—4.4-4.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—1.4 cm.        -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 137C.        -   Length of peduncle.—13-15.0 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3-0.35 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 71A.        -   Length of pedicel.—5.5-6.8 cm.        -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hiars.-   Bud (just before opening):    -   -   Color.—RHS 68B.        -   Length.—2.0 cm.        -   Width.—0.8-0.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.            temperature.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—12, with 15 immature            umbels in various stages.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Umbel diameter.—9.5-11.0 cm.        -   Umbel depth.—4.4-5.0 cm.-   Corolla:    -   -   Form.—Double.        -   Number of petals.—8-10.        -   Diameter of flower.—3.9-4.2 cm.        -   Depth of flower.—1.6-1.8 cm.        -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Between RHS N66B and RHS            N66C.        -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS N66D.        -   Length of upper petals.—2.2-2.3 cm.        -   Width of upper petals.—2.1-2.2 cm.        -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—RHS N66B.        -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—RHS 68A.        -   Length of lower petals.—2.2 cm.        -   Width of lower petals.—2.1 cm.        -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.        -   Apex shape.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces.-   Calyx:    -   -   Number of sepals.—5.        -   Color of sepals.—RHS N144C.        -   Length of sepals.—0.9 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.3 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Mostly fused.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.        -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute.-   Reproductive organs:-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—1.        -   Length.—1.0 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 62D.        -   Style length.—0.8 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 52C.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 142E.        -   Ovary length.—0.6 cm.        -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm.-   Androecium:    -   -   Number of stamens.—5-7.        -   Color of filaments.—RHS N57B with RHS N155C basally.        -   Length filaments.—0.7 cm.        -   Anther color.—RHS 58C.        -   Length of anthers.—0.2 cm.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 60D.        -   Pollen amount.—Normal.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plantnamed ‘PEQZ0009’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.